Feeding mechanism for machines for folding collars and the like.



No. 890,508. PATENTED JUNEQ, 1908. W. L. DIXON. FEEDING MECHANISM FOR MACHINES FOR FOLDING DOLLARS AND THE LIKE,

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16.1902.

THE mmms PETERS :0., WASHINGTON, 0.1:.

UNITED STATES P ENT oEEIoE.

WALTER L. DIXON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO REECE FOLDING MACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR MACHINES FOR FOLDING COLLARS AND THE LIIGI.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 9, 1908.

Application filed June 16, 1902. Serial No. 111,811.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER L. DIXON, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Feeding Mechanism for Machines for Folding Collars and the Like, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention is an improvement in folding machines, and relates more particularly to the provision of means for feeding the collar or cuff or other blank, or placing it in position, without hand labor.

Many devices have been proposed for pcsitioning the blank on the bed or pad of the machine, most of these devices being more or less complicated and therefore liable to get out of order, and also meeting with various objections due to the peculiar dificulty in handling cotton and linen blanks. Accordingly I have devised an apparatus which cooperates, preferably, with the former for retaining the blanks as they go into position for folding.

In its preferred embodiment my invention includes means for engaging the blank at its ends and thus holding it until it is carried almost into final position, whereupon the interior or middle portion of the blank is engaged by a central retaining device and the end holding means disengaged from the blank, the result being that the blank is thereafter held in place by said central retaining device, which leaves its periphery free to be acted upon by the folders at some or all of its edges, as required.

The constructional details of my invention, and further advantages and operation thereof, will be pointed out more completely in the following description, and the invention will be more particularly defined in the ap pended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown one embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 represents, in front elevation, partly broken away, sufficient details of a folding machine containing my invention to enable the latter to be understood; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of a folding machine bed and adjacent parts; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing one of the end holders in rear elevation; Fig. 4 is an end elevation thereof, parts being broken away for clearness of illustration and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front view, partly in section, showing. a different embodiment of my in vention.

It will be understood that my invention is not restricted to any particular form or style of folding machine, and accordingly for the purposes of this application I have omitted all the wellunderstood details of construction of such folding machines, and have conventionalized or omitted various details of parts which may be and are employed by me in the present connection.

As herein shown, a cross-head A operates above a bed B, said cross-head having a frame a, die or former-carriers a, in which is adjustably mounted a four-part die or former a this form being herein shown for convenience merely. At the o posite ends of the former a I mount the ho ding means, already referred to, for engaging the ends of the blank, said means being herein shown as comprising s ring arms or fingers a supported on brac ets a carried in slots (1 The brackets o are freely pivoted at their upper ends, being herein shown as loosely mounted on a sleeve a carried by a stud c whose T-head a is mounted to slide in the slot c being clamped in position by a nut a bearing against a washer a Projecting from one side of the head a is a rod o to the free end of which is attached a spring a secured at its opposite end to a stud a on the bracket, and the latter carries an arm (L movable therewith so as to strike against the free end of the rod or for limiting the forward movement to the right, Fig. 8, of the bracket and its spring finger a At some convenient position, herein shown as at the left, Fig. 3, a spur or projection a is provided for releasing the finger a from holding position, and causing the holder to swing outwardly into the dotted position, Fig- 3, at the proper time. As herein shown said spur a is in position to strike a trip or discharge plate 1) arranged in its path so as to release the holders of the cross-head from oilgagement with the ends of the blank just as the latter has been firmly grasped by the in termediate or central retaining device, which is preferably carried by the bed of the machine. This device is shown in detail in Fig. 1, and comprises a plate 6, preferably eX- tending unbroken over a substantial portion of the interior of the blank, so as to engage the latter and pinch the blank tightly against the former, or any other suitable cooperating part depending from the cross-head frame, or from any other available portion of the ma chine above the blank.

The plate I), as herein shown, is mounted rigidly on a post or plunger 6 normally pressed upwardly by a spring I) carried on a reduced portion thereof and hearing at its u per end against the shouldered top of the p unger, and at its lower end against the bot tom 1) of a socket piece If in the bed of the machine. The lower end of the post 5 is shown as depending and provided with a slot 5 containing a pin W, said slot receiving l a detent b which acts to prevent the plate I) from turning or shifting its axial position. The detent b is held normally inwardly by a spring 6 and carries a trip end b to be engaged by a cam 1), whereby the trip 6 is re leased from engagement with the pin b to permit the plate I) to move upwardly as required.

It will be understood that in actual practice the operating mechanism will be varied according to the machine to which the invention is applied, and also that the location and mounting of the various essential parts of the invention may be changed.

The slot adjustment (0, a accommodates the end holders to different lengths of blanks, and in case the apparatus is used on formers which are made adjustable as to width, I provide means for regulating the position of the blank carried thereby, said means being herein shown for convenience as consisting of an upturned end or gage a" of the finger a, the latter being, in that case, made in two parts adjustable at (L the upper portion being secured at (L19 to the bracket 0.

Instead of being used with a four-part die, my invention may be employed in connection with a suitable two-part die or one part die or any other form of machine, and in Fig. 5 I have shown it applied to a two-part die machine of the kind shown in U. S. Letters Patent No. 667,207, dated February 5, 1901. In this instance, I locate the end holder or finger a so as to cooperate with the foot 0 of a plunger held yieldingly downward by a spring 0 (these parts corresponding to those lettered in said patent as 6 b etc), and prolonging the retaining device I) so as to project under a portion of the part 0 the result being that the blank is held between the plunger 0 and the finger a instead of being 16l(l by the latter directly against the die; and when the die descends, 'the blank is held between the retaining device 6 and the plunger 0 whereupon the finger a is automatically removed the same as described above, and the blank is then carried down into final position, and is there held immovably while the die is performing its shifting movements, as required in the' aforesaid patent.

Briefly stated, the apparatus retains a blank flat against a rigid back, preferably consisting of the former itself, until the blank has approximately reached its proper posi tion for holding, whereupon all that portion of the holding apparatus which would be in the way of the folding mechanism is automatically released or removed, its place being taken by other retaining mechanism so positioned and operated that it may retain the blank against any possibility of shifting, and do this without interfering in any way with the proper infolding of the edges of the blank.

Stated more in detail, the operation is as follows: The operator feeds the blank in any suitable way, preferably by hand, between the former, or such other rigid portion as may be provided, and the fingers a the latter yielding sufiiciently to permit the ready insertion of the blank, the blank being placed with sufficient accuracy, usually by the eye of the operator, although the gages a" are preferably employed. Then the cross-head descends, carrying the blank down in unchanging position until it is engaged by the retaining device I), whereupon the spurs a strike against the tripping devices b and swing the end holders away from the blank just as the latter is about to descend into final position on the bed. This permits the folding operation to take place without any interference of the end holders, which would, otherwise, be in the way.

I am aware that collar blanks after being placed in final position upon the bed have been held by plunger-s carried by the crosshead, but, so far as the holders carried by the cross-head in my device are concerned, one of their distinctive features is that they re tain the blank immovably for a time, and

then are automatically swung away, or dis engaged, from the blank, the reason for their being thus swung away being that they would otherwise interfere with the folding operation. It is quite advisable, however, to have these holders or certain of them adj acent the edges or ends of the blank while the latter is suspended, or otherwise, the cloth blank being in its nature limp or tending to bend freely, is liable to drop down, and therefore be improperly placed. In other words, the difficulties due to the material ing movement, and supplantlng this holding means by a differently located retaining device without permitting the blank to be released or changed in position during the transfer.

I am aware that it has been proposed to have a blank fixed permanently on a feed plate, to be transferred with said plate from one feeding device to another, but by my in vention the blank alone is transferred, being engaged by the retaining mechanism 1) while still held by the retaining means a and then the latter removed.

l/Vhen the blank has been folded, the lifting of the plunger b serves to raise the blank from the bedso that it can be more readily removed. The retaining device I) is held positively down until after the former has been raised, in order that the blank may remain on the bed as long as possible for the creasing pressure, etc., without disturbance.

.While the plate b might be made to occupy a depression or place made for it in the former, I prefer that it should occupy a cavity or recess 6 in the bed, or, as herein shown, in a pad I) of the bed of the machine, thereby leaving the former unrestricted scope for all shifting movements which may Y be required of it in the folding operations, ac-

cording to the kind of machine.

I have used, in the claims and elsewhere, the terms end-holders and retaining-device, merely as convenient distinguishing names so as to prevent confusion, although both are holders, and I do not mean by the former term to restrict myself to any particular location or construction of deviceor devices.

Without attempting to set forth all the changes and modifications which may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention, and without restricting myself to the details thereof than as otherwise stated, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is z" 1. In a machine for folding blanks for cuffs or the like, the combination with a bed for supporting the blanks to be folded, of a holding contrivance fitted to be moved in the direction of but only part way to said bed, and then back to a normal blank-receiving position, and constructed to hold a blank near the corners thereof, whereby the blank is maintained substantially flat during the movement in the direction of the bed while having its center free to be engaged and carried by the blank-retainin mechanism hereinafter recited; means for automatically causing said holding contrivance to release the blank; a blank retaining mechanism adapted during the descent of said holding contrivance to come intoplay before the latter is released, and said retaining mechanism adapted to carry the blank, with its edges now free, to folding position upon the bed and a rising and lowering member adapted to cooperate in turn during its descent with said holding contrivance and said blank-retaining mechanism, substantially for the purpose set forth.

2. In a machine for folding cuff blanks or the like, the combination with a bed for supporting the blanks to be folded, of a former movable from a normal blank receiving position toward and from the bed, a holding contrivance cooperating with said former to hold the blank near the corners thereof, said hold- 5 ing contrivance fitted to be moved from a normal blank-receiving position toward and from said bed, and adapted to be released from the blank before the latter is in folding position, and movable retainingmechanism cooperat- 30 ing with said former for keeping the blank in fixed relation to said former from the time the blank is released from said holding contrivance until the blank is in folding position upon the bed. 5

3. In a machine for folding cuff blanks or the like, the combination with a bed for supporting the blanks to be folded, of a former movable from a normal blank receiving posi tion toward and from the bed, a holding con- 0 trivance cooperating with said former to hold the blank near the corners thereof, said holding contrivance fitted to be moved from a normal blank-receiving position toward and from said bed, and adapted to be released from the blank before the latter is in folding position, and movable retaining mechanism cooperating with said former for keeping the blank in fixed relation to said former from the time the blank is released from said holding contrivance until the blank is in folding position upon the bed, and automatically operated means for effecting the release of said holding contrivance after the blank is engaged by said retaining mechanism.

4. In a machine for folding cuff blanks and the like, the combination of a bed for supporting the blanks during folding operations, a movable former for defining the folds of the 4 blanks upon said bed, a blank-holding contrivance movable with the former and adapted, by cooperation therewith, to hold the blanks by edge portions thereof, a blank-retaining mechanism adapted, also by cooperation with said former, to engage central portions of the blanks, the said retaining mechanism coming automatically into play during the movement toward the bed of said former, and a part for automatically effecting the release of said holding contrivance after said retaining mechanism has come into play but before the blanks have been carried to folding position on the bed.

5. In a machine of the kind described, a bed, a device adapted to move toward and from the bed to place a blank upon the bed in position to be folded, said device being provided with holding means for engaging and holding the blank during a portion of its positioning movement, retaining mechanism for engaging said blank while it is held by said holding means, means for automatically causing said holding means to release the blank after it is held by said retaining mech- 5 anlsrn.

6. In a machine for infolding the edges of blanks for cuffs or like articles, the combination of a horizontal bed which supports the blanks during the defining and the infolding of the edges thereof by a folding mechanism, a device movable toward and from the bed adapted to be in contact with the u per face of the blank and so present it to the bed, edge holding contrivances for holding the blank in 5 fixed relation to saiddevice, and means for automatically moving said contrivances away from the blank prior to the arrival of said device at the place where it presents the blanks to the bed for folding.

7. In a machine of the kind described, a bed, a former ada ted to move toward and from said bed, holc ing means movable downward with said former for engaging and holding a blank, retaining mechanism for engaging said blank while said holding means is in engagement with the blank, means for automatically releasing said holding mechanism from engagement with the blank, and removing it from the area of the blank after said retaining mechanism has come into operation.

8. In a machine for infolding the edges of blanks for cuffs or like articles, the combination of a horizontal bed which supports the blanks during the defining and the infolding of the edges thereof, a former or templet movable toward and from the bed, ada ted to be in contact with the upper face of the blank, edge holding contrivances normally in continuous clamping engagement with said former when in position to receive a blank to be fed into the machine, said contrivances being arranged to engage the under side of a blank and clamp the latter be tween said contrivance and former during some of the movement of said former toward the bed where folding is done, and means for releasing the blanks from said clamping engagement after such movement toward the bed.

9. In a machine for infolding the edges of blanks for cuffs or like articles, the combination of a bed which supports the blanks during the defining and the infolding of the edges thereof, a blank presenting device for carrying the blanks to said bed, holding means, means cooperating with said holding means tocause it to engage the blank, and means for automatically moving said holding means away from engagement with said blank prior to the several parts coming into folding position.

10. In a machine of the kind described. a blank-supporting bed, a crosshead, blank edge holding means pivoted thereon, means for engaging said blank holding means and swinging the same out of holding position before the blank reaches its folding position on the bed.

11. In a machine of the kind described, a blank-supporting bed, a cross-head provided with a former, a blank holder mounted to cooperate with said former in holding outer e ge portions of a blank, and means for automatically moving said holder away from 5 said former before the blank reaches its folding position on the bed.

12. In a machine of the kind described, a bed, a cross-head, a bracket pivotally mounted thereon, blank holding means including a 3 spring-finger carried by said bracket for engaging and holding a blank, tripping mechanism for swinging said finger out of operative position when the cross-head approaches the bed. 35

13. In a machine of the kind described, a blank-supporting bed, a cross-head provided with a former, end-holders for 006 crating with the opposite end edges of saic former for engaging and holding a blank, tripping 9o mechanism for automatically causing said end holders to release the blank and for moving said end holders away from the blank before the blank reaches its folding position on the bed. 5

14. In a machine of the kind described, a blank-supporting bed, a cross-head provided with a former, end holders for cooperating with the opposite ends of said former to engage and hold a blank, tripping mechanism for automatically moving said end holders laterally out of the area of said blank at a predetermined time in the blank positioning movements of said holders and former, means for subsequently automatically restoring them to their 0 erative position, for operation upon a new b ank.

15. In a machine of the kind described, a blank -supporting bed, a former, holding means yieldingly pressing against said former when the latter is in position to receive a blank whereby the blank is retained against the face of the former, means for adjusting said holding means whereby the position of the blank may be varied on the former.

16. In a machine of the kind described, a bed to support a blank while bein folded, a former to descend thereupon and hold the blank while being folded, a retaining device mounted in the bed for holding the blank 12o against the face of the former during a predetermined portion of the blank positioning period, and means independent of the former for holding the said retaining device down on the bed after the former has been lifted from the bed.

17. In a machine of the kind described, a bed to support a blank while being folded, a former to descend thereupon and hold the blank while being folded, a retaining device mounted in the bed for holding the blank against the face of the former during a predetermined portion of the blank positioning period, ant means independent of the former for holding the said retaining device down on the bed after the former has been lifted from the bed, means for raising said retaining device, and a device for releasing the means grhich hold said retaining device down on the 18. In a machine of the kind described, a blank-su orting bed, aformer provided with blank hoIc ing means and adapted to move toward and from the bed, the bed having therein a recess as small as or smaller in shape and area than the former, a vertically movable retaining device mounted in said bed and adapted to occupy said recess, whereby the retaining device engages the blank entirely within the edges to be folded and below the plane of the former. I

19,. In a machine for infolding the edges of blanks for cuffs or like articles, the combination of a horizontal bed which supports the blanks during the defining and the infolding of the edges thereof by a folding mechanism, a holding apparatus for holding a blank flat, a movable member constituting a rigid back against which said holding apparatus holds the blank until the blank has approximately reached its proper position for folding, means for thereupon automatically removing all that portion of said holding apparatus which would be in the way of the folding mechanism, and a member which thereupon takes the place of said-holding apparatus by retaining the blank against the movable member back of the plate after the holding apparatus is so removed, said retaining member so constituted and fitted as to retain the blank against shifting while leaving free its edges to be folded.

20. In a machine for infolding the edges of blanks for cuffs or like articles, the combination of a horizontal bed which supports the blanks during the defining and the infolding of the edges thereof by a folding mechanism, a holding apparatus for holding a blank flat by engaging it at opposite edge portions, a movable member constituting a rigid back against which said holding apparatus holds the blank until the blank has approximately reached its proper position for folding, means for thereupon automatically removing all that portion of said holding apparatus which would be in the way of the folding mechanism, and a member which thereupon takes the place of said holding apparatus by retain: ing the blank against the movable member back of the plate after the holding apparatus is so removed, said retaining member so constituted and fitted as to retain the blank against shifting while leaving free its edges to be folded.

21. In a machine for infolding the'edgesof blanks for cuffs or like articles, the combina tion of a horizontal bed which supports the blanks during the defining and the infolding of the edges thereof by a folding mechanism, a holding apparatus for holding a blank fiat, a blank defining templet movable toward and from the bed and constituting a rigid back against which said holding apparatus holds the blank until the blank has approxi mately reached its proper position for folding, means for thereupon automatically removing all that portion of said holding app a ratus which would be in the way of the folding mechanism, and a member which thereupon takes the place of said holding apparatus by retaining the blank against said templet after the holding apparatus is so removed, said retaining member so constituted and fitted as to retain the blank against shifting while leaving free its edges to be folded. In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

I/VALTER L. DIXON. Witnesses:

GEO. II. MAXWELL, EDWARD F. ALLEN. 

